\ Near miss ;—-,., Giving movie viewers Peace Site Founder Cranford boys soccer team something different battles Westfield for UCT title In this week's Kousin sees his idea expand. See Sports, page See Community Ofe on page A-8 Vol. 98, No. 46 tfranfontThursday, November 14,1991 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents CRANFORD• GARWOOD • KENILWORTH In brief New hours Mayor gives preview of tough Residents have been asked By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL increase for 1992, and whether township em- that are "already flat to begin with."/ combination of several factors; loss of state : by theCranford Health Depart- ployees would receive a four-percent raise According to Mr. Grady, departments and federal revenues, a 111-percent increase ment to remember that the THE CHRONICLE for 1992. These answers were needed to es- must make the following cuts by Dec. 1: in health insurance costs in 1991-92, and the Conservation Certer Is dosed A preview of the 1992 municipal budget tablish the dollar figures to be cut by depart- • Public safety (police and fire): $337,247 6.5-percent wage increase police and fire on Thursdays during the winter. last Thursday was a harbinger of tough ment heads from the 1992 budget of $4.6 million; / personnel received via arbitration last. During November, the center times to come for municipal employees and Township Committee members voted 4-1 • Engineering and department of public month. 'i wffl be open Friday through, property owners. in favpr of keeping the 1992 tax point in- works: $156,773 of a $2 million budget; Adding to debt is a Rahway Valley Sewer-. Sunday, and during December, Township department heads must make crease at 4, or a rise in property taxes of • library: $35,990 of a $600,000 budget; age bill of almost $1 million for 1991-92," the center will be open on Fri- cuts of more than a half a million dollars in about $71 per year for the average home- • Recycling: $15,337 of a $232,674 budget; township hydrant service of $225,000 (to- owner (each tax point is calculated at $17.65) • Construction code office: $11,952 of a keep water in. hydrants in case of Ore), street days and Saturdays. the 1992 municipal budget or face layoffs of lighting bill of $202,000/a pension debt of Friday hours are 9:30 am, to their workers, said Mayor Ed Force. Mayor Force said he preferred a 7 point in- $158,551 budget; / crease ($141.20 per year to average property $800,000, "regular" debt of $1.2 million, and 330 pro., and Saturday and Either way, property owners face a tax • Recreation: $23,770 of a $315,352 bud- other obligations totaling $5 million. Sunday hours are 9:30 am. to hike and probable cuts in services in 1992. owner), which would eliminate possible lay- get; offs or cuts in service to residents. Township officials met with department 4 p.m. , . At a special meeting on Nov. 7, Mayor • Health department $10,357 of a heads on Monday to explain if they (depart- Grass and leaves are sift Force, Township Aa^ninistrator Edward The decision to keep the tax hike low $136,820 budget; • , ment heads) are not able to achieve the tar-, being accepted; however, a Murphy, Township Finance Director Tom shifts the burden to township department • Municipal court: $8,898 of a $163,093 geted cuts, there would be layoffs. Later,' Grady and Auditor John Laezza informed heads who will have to "get creative," said budget; . permit Is needed to drop off r township employees were brought up to' grass. Permits are available at Tcrwns.hip..C!ornmittee members of the pre-. Mayor Force,Jn order to cut $664>QfJJL^fccjm • Communityra,counselor. $2,656 of a date on the current situation and notified the center. carious state of the 1992 budget Based on the 1992 budget While he believes township $35,654 budget; and about possible layoffs. Employees were also this data, governing body members were department heads can be creative, he is • Welfare: $1,858 of a $24,391 budget. told they would receive a 4-percent salary • asked to make two decisions: the tax point doubtful $664,000 can be found in budgets The current situation, Mr. Grady said, is a increase in 1992. Food drive Watchung Council Boy Scouts launched a "Scouting for Food" program last Weefc Possible cuts eyed Getting the point Towns bridge end to help the hungry, they Looming budget cuts could re- the Conservation Center. Streets distributed food collection bags duce or eliminate many municipal might not get plowed as fast. Atlantic Ocean last weekend, and will pick up services: • The Building Department tilled bags this weekend. • Curbside recycling could be might open only three days a cut from semi-monthly to monthly week. Applications and permits to help others or eliminated out altogether with could take longer. \ Blood drive residents required to take recy- • The Welfare Department By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL The Cranford Elks blood clables to the Conservation Center. could cut hours, limiting the time THE CHRONICLE ' residents in need could seek help, drive will be Sunday at the • Recreation could cut eliminate Helping hands know few bound-: a number of things, including the food, clothing. lodge at 951 Lincoln Ave. E. aries. Some even join hands with. number of days the senior citizen • Uniformed police and fire per- those they have never seen to help/ from 9 am. to 1 p.m. bus runs, and recreation programs sonnel could be laid off and no new officers hired, and new car This is the story of a good deed, for children and adults. Other sug- in the works, by folks who care, gestions include closing the clay purchases could be banned. And 'Si Paper drive tennis courts. there could be no promotions. despite the ocean separating therh;. It all started when the United" Boy Scout Troop 178 collects • Engineering could reduce leaf • The library could cut hours, increase fines,.or eliminate services n Methodist 'Church in Cranford de- i newspapers and aluminum pickup to onCe a season, or require cided to extend a' helping hand to cans at the truck at the Conser- residents to take bagged leaves to japffered to the public. neighbors locally and abroadi Ini- vation Center Saturday from tially*, the music; committee of the 9:30 to 3:30 p.nVTie papers. church invited award-winning En- glish ' organist Richard Pilliner's church, St Matthew's Episcopalian Santa tickets . in Croydon, England, to participate Tickets for the annual Breakfast as a "sister church" in a joint effort with Santa sponsored by the vendors approved to help the homeless and the hun- Cranford Junior Woman's Club gry- Township Administrator Edward will be sold Saturday at the By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL From this point the undertaking Murphy explained the insurance li- became a shared venture of help- Community Center. The event THE CHRONICLE is Dec. 14. Call Joyce Zak at ability would be assumed by the ing economically distressed citi- owner of Dairy Queen, even zens in Cranford and providing 272-9147. All's well that ends well, but for awhile it looked like Township though another company would shelter for homeless youth in Croy- Committee members had slipped sell the trees, and traffic problems don, England. Part and parcel of AIDS session into the role of Scrooge when they could be avoided by routing traffic the fund raising will be a benefit hesitated over granting a permit to through a side exit onto Elizabeth organ recital by Richard Pilliner on Church Women United of Cran- a Christmas tree vendor. Avenue to avoid backups. But com- Sunday, Dec. 1, at the Cranford ford sponsors a meeting on This week governing body mem- mittee members still questioned Methodist Church. Prior to his re- HIV-AIDS Awareness Nov. 21 at bers debatedthe pros and cons of the impact of the operation on the cital in Cranford, Mr. Pilliner will 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal allowing Tri-Force Landscaping of neighbors. play during Thanksgiving services Building. Can 2723672 for Irv Old Bridge to sell .Christmas trees Governing body member Dan at the National Cathedral in Wash- ington D.C. formaHon. from the left side of the Dairy Aschenbach, supporting the ven- "Queen loflnexTto Duncan Donuts) MayorEd Force-said on Tuesday on North Avenue. eration along there. And it is just that he will write a letter this week Education Week Although Dairy Queen owner for a month." This last comment to the mayor of Croydon on behalf of the joint effort, and invite the Schools are celebrating Ameri- Fred Rauchbach spoke to adjoining rendered the room quiet Mr. Rauchbach said, "we are try- town to exchange memorabilia can Education Week through businesses and received their blessings on the operation, and of- ing to make everything easy;" as with Cranford. He said the joint ef- Friday. Brearley High Invites vis- fered in evidence the fact trees had he held up a letter signed by own- fort of the two churches was a itors today ard tomorrow. been sold at the site in years be- ers of businesses next to his own unique and unusual and one the fore, the committee took a dim and his voice trailed off. The two township wished to support. Plans gentlemen from Tri-Force Land- are underway by members of the view of the noise, traffic and park- United Methodist to- have the Job seekers scaping looked from one another to DIANE MATFLERD/THE CHRONICLE ing to be generated by the venture, mayor declare Dec.